


The Thunder of My Heart

by MooX13



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-11
Updated: 2016-07-16
Packaged: 2018-07-23 01:44:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,548
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7461720
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MooX13/pseuds/MooX13
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A Dalish mage and a village boy have their fates intertwined.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So I've been reading stories from this sight off and on for the past three-ish years and I finally decided to join and put this story up. It's my first time ever posting anything like this so I just ask that you be gentle with me :3 Also, tags are my weakness. Hope I did this right.

The first time they had met, she was two days over the age of 6. He was 10. She was by the river gathering elfroot and embrium. Humming a Dalish tune as she skipped from plant to plant. She heard a short cry on the opposite bank. Her instincts hid behind a narrow tree that just barely hid her small frame. After a moment, she poked her head out from behind her cover. On the opposite bank, there sat a boy she hadn't seen until just then. He was sitting on the stones, cradling an injured knee as blood trickled from a cut on his chin.  
Slowly, she emerged from the shadow of the tree. The copper haired boy saw her immediately, turning his head toward her. He made no effort to move as she set her basket of herbs down behind the tree and hiked her dress up to her thighs as she made her way, cautiously, across the shallow, slow moving river. She stood a few feet away from him, not yet fully ready to approach.   
“Are you alright?” she asked softly, her words heavy with that unmistakable Dalish accent.  
“Oh ya. I'm right as rain, I am,” the boy retorted, voice full of sarcasm. He wiped at his bloodied chin with the sleeve of his just to big tunic.  
The girl simply smiled at him and went to stand next to him. She knelt next to him and looked him in the eyes. They were a shade darker than his copper hair, and oddly kind.   
“Would you like my help? I know how to fix you up, so that you will be right as rain, as you put it,” she said matter-of-factly.  
He looked at this elf girl he did not know. Large brown eyes assessing his wounds. She was far too young to know how to heal him, he thought. He was not supposed to be by or even near the river though. His mother had made that very clear when he had left the house.  
He cleared his throat, making up his mind. “I... I would be indebted to you if you'd help.” He knew it would be better than getting the switch.   
The elf girl smiled in return and tucked her dark hair behind her small pointed ears. She rubbed her tiny hands together, and started the healing spell. It took no time at all to fix the scrape on his knee. She looked up to him and took his face in her slightly glowing hands. He didn't flinch away.  
This will leave a scar. Is that alright?” she asked, young eyes seeming so much older.  
The boy only hesitated a moment, then nodded. She quickly stopped the bleeding, mended the flesh, then finally, took the wet edge of her dress and wiped the drying blood away.  
She stepped away to admire her handy work. “There! You're as good as new,” she stated proudly. He ran his fingers over the spot that had been leaking blood. He felt nothing, now, but a small indent running from his bottom lip to chin. After his assessment, he looked up at this small girl. “Thank you,” he said, standing. He was quite a bit taller than her. She tilted her head up to smile at him. He stuck his hand out in greeting. She looked down at it as if it were a new creature, ready to be studied. He just laughed and dropped his hand.   
“My name is Drestin.”  
She smiled again, a toothy grin this time. “My name is Halliana, but you may call me Hallia.”  
That was the first time.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The second time they meet is muuuch later.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm still not sure if I'm doing this right. I hope you guys are enjoying this :)

The second meeting was quite a few years later. They had seen each other in passing, she had watched him hit at practice dummies with a wooden sword and great determination. He only caught glances of her, peeking at him from the tree line across the river.  
Finally, when she was 14 and he was 18, they were at the same place at the same time in the local market.  
It was rather busy on this day, as the sun shone down and a cool breeze came in from the river. She was between a couple stalls, selling herbs, when out of the corner of her eye, she saw a flash of copper and silver. She turned her head at the same time he did.  
Templar Drestin smiled brightly and made his way to her through the crowd. He had been waiting for this moment. A moment to come back face to face with the little elf from many years before. She finished helping the elderly woman currently buying an armful of elfroot, then turned her full attention to the shining Templar standing before her.  
“My, my. If it isn't Hallia, the little elf!” Drestin cheered, taking the young woman in. She clasped her hands behind her back, stood on the tips of her toes and smiled up to him.  
“You sure have sprouted up like a weed! And a Templar no less. It's good to see you haven't injured your face all that much since we last met,” she replied. She reached a small hand up and tweaked the scar on his chin playfully.  
The Templar chuckled. “It certainly has been a while. To big of a world, I guess.” Drestin smiled down at this elf. She looked adorable in her spring green dress and little bare feet. Her dark brown hair was tied tack with a deep green ribbon, accenting her large brown eyes.  
A Templar stood there like a goof and beamed at the little elf. It was something only storybooks told of.  
“So, are you in the market for something special today? I'm here many times a week but this is the first time I've seen you around.” Her eyes asked the question more than her words had.  
He ran a big hand through his short copper hair, looking around the crowded market. “I'm trying to procure a gift. You see, my fathers birthday is coming up and I want to get him something special. He... doesn't have much time left.” His composure was stunning.  
Hallia looked up into his dark copper eyes and smiled, her full lips curved sweetly. To Drestins surprise, she turned from him and rummaged through a pack in the shadows. When she turned back to him, she produced a large green bottle.  
“You can have this. It's a vintage collection, and I would never use it anyways. Found it in some old ruins in the forest.”  
Drestins eyebrows shot up. “Huh. My old man likes this kind of thing. Hallia,” he said, taking the bottle and inspecting it, then looked back to her. “You are truly a miracle worker. I owe you twice now.” He began to reach into his pockets, trying to find coin to give her.  
“Oh, you don't have to pay for this. Think of it as... a gift. For your father,” the little elf said, waving her hand dismissively toward the coin he had produced.  
They stood, smiling at each other like fools.  
“It really is good to see you,” Hallia said softly. Her heart broke silently as he took a step back.  
Her large eyes still to full of wisdom. His full of life.  
“I should be going, but I hope to see you soon. Maybe sooner, this time.” Drestin turned to go but before he was fully out of ear shot, he heard a small voice ask the Creators to watch over him.  
That was the second time.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Life has such an unfortunate sense of humor. Drestin and Hallia find that it's not so funny.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The more I do this, the more (kinda) confident I get. I really hope that this is alright. :D

Their third meeting was not happy or warm like the previous meetings. It took place 4 years later. After their meeting in the market, they saw each other rarely. Drestin was transferred to another town a day and a half's journey from their small village. Hallia stayed close, but moved as well, her clan moving farther along in the forest by the river. She had just turned 18 and was going to be getting her vallaslin soon. Drestin was 22.  
Hallia had been in the forest all day, collecting herbs and berries for the clan. Her Keeper told her not to stray from the forest toward the city today in case she needed Rose back at the camp later that evening. Well, the day was almost out and she was not called.  
After the sun fell, frost began to form on the trees. She had finished collecting the plants for the moment, so she gathered some sticks and twigs for a fire. Hallia laid out the wood and sat next to the pile. She drew in a deep breath, savoring the night and the cool that filled her lungs. The little elf stared up at the stars, bright in the dark sky and sat that way for a decent amount of time before she finally turned back to the pile. On this night though, she lit the fire with magic, instead of the flint in her pocket.  
That was her first mistake.  
She sat close to the edge of the woods, next to farm land. On this particular night, Templars were searching for an elf apostate who had fled towards said farm land.  
Hallia would have heard them sooner, had she not been so focused on getting the fire going and maintained. By the time she did finally notice, it was far to late.  
The small elf sprang to her feet, eyeing the large knights. There were five of them, circling around her. She grabbed for her staff but grasped at empty air. Her stomach sank when she remembered the staff, currently laying next to her books at camp.  
That was her second mistake.  
There would be no reasoning with the knights, for she was an elf, and a mage on top of that. She had heard all to frequently the corruption of their order.  
There was still a tiny chance of escape, so the small elf woman bolted between the knights and sprinted with all of her might. Her brown locks flew out behind her as the wind blew into her face. Her fear made the air around her even colder.  
Behind her, there was shouting, then a violent flash of light. Hallia lost her footing and flew forward, landing hard on her shoulder. A soft cry of surprise and pain left her lips.  
There was no time to sit all the way up and begin her escape again, before a large silver hand grabber her elbow and hoisted her up off of the ground. It wasn't very hard, considering how small she was.  
“Little elf apostate. Did you really think you could run from us?” The larger of the knights asked.  
Hallia whimpered, confused and in pain as she tried to struggle away from his bruising grip, failing.  
As a result of her wiggling, the Templar threw her to the ground in front of the other towering figures. The silver man directly in front of her placed too tight runed shackles on her wrists, draining her magic. Hallias teeth ground together as the magic left, leaving her freezing and empty. Tears began to roll down her cheeks.  
She knew this would be impossible to come out of alive.  
The men drew her up and pulled her behind them for a distance. They had been camped not far beyond the town outside the forest. When they got to the inhabited camp, they put her in a corner and put wards around her, just in case. The corner they put her in was close to the camp fire. The heat just out of reach as she sat in defeat.  
Her feet and knees were bloody. Shoulder bruised to a painfully dark color. Her pride mostly drained, along with her magic. All in a single night.  
A little while later, when the moon was high in the sky, a Templar came to her side, brushing her now tangles locks from her face.  
“Pretty little thing, aren't you,” he breathed huskily. Her lips trembled as he grabbed her chin with a single large hand. He combed her hunched body with hungry gray eyes. A few men gathered behind him.  
“What do you say boys, should we have a little fun with this little elf plaything?” The other men whooped in reply. She shuddered at the thought and snatched her head back in disgust. Bravely, if not stupidly, she spat on the mans face.  
He just stared at her coldly for a moment before Drawing himself up and staring at her down his nose. Then, with great force and speed, he kicked her in the side, sending her sprawling over the ground.  
“Jerick!” came a warning grumble from a man now shoving the other men away. “Leave her be. We've talked about this before.”  
Hallias ears twitched at the familiar voice as she slowly peeled herself from the cold earth. She kept her eyes closed, not wanting it to be true. When she opened her eyes, the man named Jerick shot her a nasty look before turning on his heel and marching away, grumbling.  
Another man took his spot and knelt down next to her. She looked at the man, his features hidden in shadow, his back to the fire. Then she turned her head away and screwed her eyes shut, tears escaping once again, leaving streaks in the grime that now covered her face.  
A gentle hand rested on her shoulder, making her flinch weakly from his grasp. She opened her eyes again and glared at the man. She knew his beautiful, kind copper eyes stared at her. A small sob escaped her throat before she could stop it. This man, who she dreamed of, a knight in shining armor, a paragon of kindness, now knelt before her. He, and his company, had just taken away her freedom, magic, and future. And she felt betrayed.  
“Drestin.” was all she could manage to growl out. Her voice was much weaker than she had wanted it to be.  
The other Templars had busied themselves as their Knight-Captain examined the prisoner. Drestin sat the small elf up. She whimpered as he touched her injured shoulder, then took care not to touch it again as he picked leaves and debris from her hair. She was still more beautiful than he remembered. Her brown hair soft and gently waving, as tangled as it may be. Her pale skin was clear and beautiful, even though mares by scrapes and bruises. It broke his heart that her large dark eyes glared at him. He believed with all of his being that she wasn't the apostate they were hunting for. She was so small and fragile looking.  
He met her brown eyes with his own and held them for a moment. “I will get you out of this mess, Hallia.”  
She didn't want to believe him. But his eyes told her to. So she did.  
That was her last mistake.  
The next morning, after talking to his higher ups, Drestin informed Hallia that, instead of death, she would go to a circle.  
She was now staring into a future of being in the Kirkwall Circle. Which was far worse than death.  
That was the third time.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The mage rebellion going on in Kirkwall when they meet again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was my favorite to type out. I would be typing, then stop and stare at the keyboard as I played it out in my head. It was amazing. Here you go!

The fourth time they met was two years after she was taken to the circle. The two had seen each other briefly in the tower. She avoided him though, not wanting to remember the reason she was there. She kept to herself. Avoiding Templars the best she could, along with most of the mages. She made no friends in the time she was there. But she also didn't make any enemies.  
Hallia had just turned 20. Drestin was almost 25. The Mage Rebellion was taking place.  
Hallia was running through the streets of Kirkwall, trying to navigate through the burning city as best she could. Her staff was in her hand, ready to use in an instant if necessary.  
After joining the circle, she had been forced to learn battle magic. Lightning cracked at the large clear stone at the top of her staff, amplifying the static coursing through her body as she ran.  
Noises came from around the corner, making the elf stumble to a stop. She tried to listen over the sound of her heart beating rapidly in her ears. The clash of metal on metal sounded clear as day. She glanced quickly around the corner to see Templars battling demons. The demons were winning, littering the ground with silver bodies..  
Saying a little prayer to the Creators for her stupidity, she jumped from her hiding and cast a chain lightning spell, doing heavy damage to the abominations, taking down three. She threw some lightning at the remaining creatures, helping the Templars take them down. Before they took down the final rage demon however, she ran back around the building.  
Not waiting to stick around, she ran back the way she came, finding an alley way that looked promising. She ran down it, robes flowing out behind her. Before she could stop, she burst out into an opening in the road. A pride demon was waging pain to three very battered looking Templars.  
Her heart won over her mind as she cast a barrier over the shining knights. They didn't stop to question the sudden help, instead turning a new-found determination into slaying the mighty beast. They felled it quicker than she had thought, not giving her time to escape down another alley.  
“Hey wait, Mage!” one cried out. She didn't even think to turn and keep running, submission all but beaten into her by the circle Templars. She turned on her heel, spinning back toward the three men, not dropping her defenses, though. The demon returned to the fade as the tallest man drew closer. He hesitated, faltering only a bit as he removed his helmet. Copper hair was all askew from the metal.  
“Hallia? Little elf?” he tried, his voice only as loud as it took for her to hear as he still slowly drew forward.  
Her heart was instantly gripped with longing and fear and anger and hatred and happiness that he had survived up to this point, to stand before her. Her eyes steeled as she gripped her staff and pointed it at him, hands trembling with rage. Or maybe relief.  
“Give me one good reason not to turn you to ash where you stand, Drestin.” Her soprano voice was low and menacing. It was also shaking more noticeably that would have liked.  
The men behind him returned to their fighting positions. Her only concern was this man in front of her, who had captured her heart and her freedom. He sheathed his long sword and put up his hands defensively. The other two followed suit, but kept their hands on the hilts, prepared to draw them in a moments notice.  
Drestins light brown eyes were sad and beautiful.  
“Hallia. I understand what your going through.”  
The elf woman spat at that and the dark laugh that followed was void of humor.  
“You took me from my clan, Drestin. From my home. From everything I have every known and loved.” She stopped for a moment, clenching her jaw. Her knuckles where white and her hands had stopped shaking. “And for what?! To live in a prison for TWO YEARS! Two years of being hated and looked down on.” She shook her head and closed her eyes. She smiled grimly and her voice was much softer from the roar it had been. “You used to be my hero, Drestin. My knight in shining armor. But now...” her voice broke. “Now you haunt my nightmares...” The elfs voice was thick and quacking with emotion. He could taste electricity in the air as she spilled her soul to him, this handsome copper man, all clad in silver.  
He looked at her with hurt eyes. His mouth hung open a bit, as he took in the woman before him. She was so broken. Beautifully broken, if you were brave. The circle had strengthened her, if nothing else. Her dark hair was braided over her shoulder, coming undone quickly. Her robes where being blown around her from the sudden wind that he was sure was because of the magic overflowing from her. Tears were forming in her bright brown eyes, threatening to spill over. The elf woman, so lean an d beautiful, had evolved from the tiny elven girl he'd first met. It tore at his heart, making it ache.  
“Oh, Hallia.” His voice was full of things he wanted to say, to comfort her with. He wanted to hide her away from this horrible world, make her safe in his arms.  
He got to do none of these things though. Before he realized what was happening, the spell is leaping from her rosy lips, creating a cage of lightning around the men. The Templars behind him made short work of the magic, dispelling it shortly after the elf had made her escape, as Drestin simply stood there.  
The men under his command began forward to pursue her.  
“Don't. We have bigger problems.” He said, raising his hand to halt them. He replaced his helmet and went to work.  
Hallia ran and ran and ran.  
And that was their fourth unfortunate meeting.


End file.
